Mexico will amend its constitution this weekend to require all judges to be elected

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico is poised to amend its constitution this weekend to require all judges to be elected as part of a judicial overhaul championed by the outgoing president but slammed by critics as a blow to the country’s rule of law.

The amendment passed Mexico’s Congress on Wednesday, and by Thursday it already had been ratified by the required majority of the country’s 32 state legislatures. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said he would sign and publish the constitutional change on Sunday.

Legal experts and international observers have said the move could endanger Mexico’s democracy by stacking courts with judges loyal to the ruling Morena party, which has a strong grip on both Congress and the presidency after big electoral wins in June.

López Obrador says the overhaul would crack down on corruption in a system that most Mexicans agree is broken. But critics believe the move will deal a blow to checks and balances and make it easier for cartels and criminals to influence the courts.

The overhaul has fueled weeks of strikes and protests by judicial employees, law students and many other Mexicans.

On Wednesday, it crossed its biggest hurdle by passing Mexico's Senate. Angry protesters stormed the chambers Tuesday in a last ditch effort to block the proposal, but senators moved to another location and passed the measure in the early morning after hours of verbal sparring.

As of Thursday, 18 legislatures already had ratified the overhaul.

López Obrador said he would time his signing of the measure for Sunday's celebration of Mexico's Independence Day. The event will allow the populist leader to solidify the judicial transformation as his legacy, just weeks before he leaves office on Sept. 30.

“With now 18 approving it, well, now it’s legal,” López Obrador said during in a morning news briefing on Thursday.

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Judiciary workers protest judicial reform outside the Mexico city Congress, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

Legislators protest judicial reform in the Mexico City Congress, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. The signs read in Spanish "I am resistance, " and "Without justice there's no future." (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

Mexico City legislators discuss the judicial reform bill at the Mexico City Congress, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

Mexico City legislators in favor of judicial reform pose for photos at the Mexico City Congress, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

Mexico City legislators in favor of judicial reform hold signs that read in Spanish ¨The people rule. Reform now!¨ at the Mexico City Congress, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

Mexico City legislator, of the National Action Party, Diego Garrido, walks past police who guard the Mexico City Congress amid judicial reform, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

Police guard the Mexico City Congress in expectation of protests against judicial reform, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

Mexico City legislators demonstrate against judicial reform, with signs that read in Spanish "No justice" at the Mexico City Congress, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

Mexico City legislators rally in favor of judicial reform at the Mexico City Congress, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

MILAN (AP) — The United States player pool has never been more prominent in Europe’s top soccer leagues and two of its key players scored on the opening night of the continent’s top competition on Tuesday.

Christian Pulisic marked his upcoming birthday by scoring an early goal to kick off AC Milan’s Champions League campaign.

But that strike, less than three minutes in, was the last thing he had to smile about as Milan went on to lose 3-1 at home to Liverpool in their opening match in the revamped competition.

Pulisic’s performance this season is as good as his team’s is bad.

Milan has won just one of its five matches this season under new coach Paulo Fonseca. Pulisic, who turns 26 on Wednesday, has three goals in that same period with two assists.

“It's another bad result for us, we have to find answers, improve and win matches,” Pulisic said after the loss to Liverpool.

“We had the right energy at times but we couldn’t keep it up consistently ... it's been a difficult start to the season for us, we're not happy and we have to change things.”

Pulisic was not the only American to find the back of the net on Tuesday. And it was a happier night for USMNT teammate Weston McKennie, who scored Juventus’ second during a 3-1 win over PSV Eindhoven in an earlier match.

Three other Americans also featured on the opening day of the revamped Champions League, with Ricardo Pepi, Malik Tillman and Richie Ledezma playing for PSV.

More of their compatriots — such as Borussia Dortmund’s Gio Reyna and injured Juventus forward Tim Weah — could feature later this week or further on in the competition.

With so many players competing at club soccer’s highest level, that can only be good news for new U.S coach Mauricio Pochettino as the Americans ramp up for a home World Cup in 2026.

Pulisic was the first American to play in a Champions League final when he won the competition with Chelsea in 2021.

He moved to Milan before the start of last season and had an impressive debut campaign at the Italian team, with 15 goals across all competitions.

That made Pulisic the first midfielder to score more than 10 goals for Milan — excluding penalties — since Kaka in the 2005-06 season.

Kaka was at San Siro for Tuesday's match and gave a short speech to the Rossoneri fans before kickoff. The former Brazil international — and World Cup winner — spent six seasons at Milan, helping it to its last Champions League title in 2007.

Pulisic has made a flying start to the current season too, with two goals and two assists in Milan's four opening Serie A matches.

He'll need to continue that streak to help Milan kickstart its campaign, with another key match in just five days: the city derby against fierce rival — and defending Serie A champion — Inter Milan.

“It's a huge game for us,” Pulisic added. “And we have to give everything, fight and turn things around.”

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

AC Milan's Christian Pulisic celebrates scoring his side's opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between AC Milan and Liverpool at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (Spada/LaPresse via AP)

Juventus' Weston McKennie celebrates with teammates Federico Gatti, top, and Andrea Cambiaso, right, after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Juventus and PSV Eindhoven at the Juventus stadium in Turin, Italy, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)

Juventus' Weston McKennie celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Juventus and PSV Eindhoven at the Juventus stadium in Turin, Italy, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)

AC Milan's Christian Pulisic, center, is congratulated after scoring his side's opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between AC Milan and Liverpool at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

AC Milan's Christian Pulisic, second from right, scores his side's opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between AC Milan and Liverpool at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

AC Milan's Christian Pulisic celebrates scoring his side's opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between AC Milan and Liverpool at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)